


Moving Forward

by benicemurphy



Category: Wave!! (Anime)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, Love Triangles, M/M, Missed Chances, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Time Skips, and older, endgame Nalu/Bill, endgame Sho/Masaki, everyone is pining, please read author's note
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:35:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29324067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benicemurphy/pseuds/benicemurphy
Summary: Nalu realizes the instant he sees Corgi go all doe-eyed over Sho that he's missed his chance.A story about complicated relationships, missed chances, friendship, and moving on.
Relationships: Akitsuki Shou/Hinaoka Masaki, Akitsuki Shou/Tanaka Nalu, Souichirou William Mori | Bill/Fuke Rindou, Tanaka Nalu/Souichirou William Mori | Bill
Comments: 11
Kudos: 14





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so, a few notes about the fic to get started that you'll probably want to read:  
> -The initial setting is their final year of high school, _not_ middle school. After the first chapter, there's a time skip to after graduation.  
> -Nalu and Sho are long-time friends in this one, so they already have history together before Masaki meets Sho.  
> -I started writing this after episode 4, and then quit after I saw episode 5. I got pretty upset about the abruptness of that episode and basically lost all interest in continuing this fic. So I'm throwing it up here, not proofread, and with no ending, because I spent a lot of time on it and I don't feel like having wasted that time. If anyone actually wants to see this continued, NOT following the events of episode 5 onward, there's potential I could add onto it in the future, but if there's no interest, I probably won't finish it.  
> -If this ever continues, the eventual rating will be E for sexually explicit content, but there is nothing of the sort in the currently-posted chapters.  
> -If you still want to read it after knowing all of that, godspeed.

It’s when Sho shows up as a transfer student their last year of high school that Nalu realizes it’s all over.

He wasn’t there when Sho and Corgi met, but he’s heard about it pretty much nonstop since. And now, as he glances over at Corgi and sees the look of pure infatuation aimed at Sho, he feels a pang of regret and missed chances.

After he’s introduced himself, Sho catches Nalu’s eye and smiles that warm smile he’s loved for years already. Nalu’s heart flips over, like it always does, then sinks to the bottom of his stomach.

_Oh well_ , his heart says. _Nothing to be done for it now_.

He watches as Sho’s piercing blue gaze slides over to Corgi and sees the moment he recognizes the boy from the beach. Corgi nearly melts in his seat, already a blushing mess. He prepares himself; the difficult part is yet to come.

____________________

“Can you believe it? It’s— it’s fate!” Corgi kicks a stray rock that bounces along the sidewalk in front of them as he gushes. “I knew the moment I saw him, Murphy. I’m telling you, this is a sign. First he shows up on our beach, and then two days later he’s in our class?”

Nalu strums away on his ukulele, self-soothing as he lets this new development sink in. “It’s not _our_ beach.” He strikes a sour note and starts again. “The beach belongs to the ocean.”

Corgi doesn’t even acknowledge him. He’s too caught up in own excitement. “He’s amazing,” he says for probably the eightieth time. “I can’t wait to surf with him.”

Nalu can’t help but laugh. “I’ve been asking you to surf with me for _years_.” He strums his ukulele and sings, “Who knew all it would take is a pretty face?” The speed with which Corgi’s blush spreads from his cheeks to his whole face makes Nalu grin— no use crying over a missed wave, right? A new wave will come eventually.

The Fantasy Land surf shop is busy today with people taking advantage of early-summer sale prices. The season is ramping up now, which means new merchandise.

“Hey, you two!” Shoko waves from the counter where she’s currently helping another customer. “Take a look at the new suits, Nalu!” She motions toward the wall of swimwear before going back to her customer.

Right away, a new pair of shorts jumps out at him. He needs new ones anyway — his current ones are getting a little small on him after his most recent growth spurt — so he steers Corgi that way. Corgi bee-lines straight to the wetsuits.

“What should I get?” he ponders, talking out loud but not really asking for Nalu’s input. He flips through an entire rack in the time in takes Nalu to find the shorts in his new size.

Nalu taps him on the shoulder and hands over the ukulele. “Hang onto this for a minute. I’m gonna go try these on.” He leaves his friend to himself and maneuvers his way through the crowd to the only fitting room. There’s a short line, which is to be expected, but also means more time to stand around wasting perfectly good surfing time. While he waits, his phone buzzes in his pocket, and he pulls it out to find the screen flashing Sho’s contact photo. He can’t help it; the sight of Sho’s face has his heart skipping a beat before he presses the button to accept the call.

“Hey,” he greets. “What’s up?”

“Let’s go to the beach!” Sho answers. “I’m just stopping by this little shop on the way down—” The bell above Fantasy Land’s front door jingles, and Nalu hears Sho’s voice in two places at once when he says, “—but the waves were gorgeous this morning, so I’m ready to get back out there.”

With a grin, Nalu hangs up the phone and watches as Sho looks at his phone in confusion when he realizes the line has disconnected. His laugh gains both Sho’s attention and Corgi’s, and Corgi gets to Sho before Nalu can even wave him over.

If Corgi had a tail, it would be wagging.

“Hey, Sho!”

The person ahead of Nalu in line emerges from the fitting room then, so Nalu takes his turn before he can hear Sho’s answer. The fitting room muffles the noise of the shop a little bit, but not completely. He can hear them talking, but not what they’re saying. That’s for the best, maybe— he’s not sure if he’s ready to see how Sho reacts to Corgi’s crush just yet.

The shorts fit well. He jumps up and down a few times, tugs at the leg openings, testing to make sure they won’t fall off if he wipes out. Everything checks out, so he takes his time changing back into his uniform before rejoining his friends.

“Hey there,” Sho says. “I was just helping Masaki pick out a wetsuit.” His gaze is soft for the briefest moment, until he turns back to Corgi. “Try this one.” He plucks a suit that appears to be roughly Corgi’s size from the rack and hands it to him.

“Perfect!”

Nalu does not point out that Corgi bypassed that particular suit three times already.

Corgi flits off to try it on, leaving Nalu and Sho alone while they wait.

Sho is looking for easy supplies — wax, a new pair of flip flops, and some fins — so they can chat while Sho picks out what he needs.

“Masaki seems like a nice guy,” he comments off-handedly. “Really excited about surfing.”

“Excited about surfing with _you_ ,” Nalu jokes. “I haven’t been able to get him into the ocean since he first learned how to swim.” Sho tilts his head in question, so Nalu explains, “Some friends and I managed to teach him in middle school, but he hasn’t had any real interest in getting back in the water since then. Until now.”

Corgi emerges in the suit Sho picked out and comes to show them how it fits. “What do you think?”

“Looks good,” Sho answers. “Can you move?”

Corgi makes a show of stretching every which way. The material pulls a little across his back and arms, but otherwise it fits well. But when Nalu points this out, Corgi insists, “This is the one I want.”

With that settled, they move onto to finding him a board, and then the three of them are off to the beach with a promise to Shoko to let her know how the board works out.

It’s a funny group, the three of them, and not one Nalu would have really considered before today. He’s known them both forever, but he never expected his worlds to collide; he never even told Corgi about Sho before now, or vice versa. But they all seem to blend nicely together, and Nalu lets himself enjoy it.

Nalu steps back once they get to the beach and lets Sho teach Corgi the basics. He pitches in when necessary, but it’s obvious to all three of them why they’re here, and he’s gracious enough to let it happen. The moment Corgi catches his first wave without wiping out is almost as exciting as Nalu’s own first wave was, and he’s truly happy to have his friend out here with him, sharing in the thing he loves most in the world.

At the end of the day, even Sho tires before Corgi— that boundless energy is difficult to match sometimes. He takes a seat in the sand next to Nalu, where Nalu is stretched out with his legs at the edge of the water letting the tide wash over him with each wave. Sho mirrors his position; their hands are nearly touching where they’re half-buried in the sand.

It’s so tempting to reach out, maybe brush his pinky across the back of Sho’s hand. It would be so easy. But he watches Corgi on the water and _feels_ his joy, and he knows he can’t pursue this.

Sho’s head comes to rest on Nalu’s shoulder just for a second, and Nalu feels himself tense. Sho must feel it, too, because when he pulls back, something in his expression tightens.

“You guys are tight, huh?”

An involuntary sigh escapes Nalu. “Yeah,” he answers. “He’s been my best friend for a long time.” He lets the pause extend, then adds, “And yeah, he’s a really good guy.”

Sho seems to understand what he’s saying then. Anyone with eyes can see the way Corgi responds to Sho— he has a crush the size of the Pacific, and he’s not subtle. Sho and Nalu have been dancing around this thing between the two of them for a long time, and now it’s too late to do anything about it. Nalu isn’t that kind of friend; he won’t put his own heart in front of his friend’s, even if it means losing his chance at something that could have been great.

There’s sadness in Sho’s eyes as the same regret seems to settle in him. They’ve never talked about it, but it’s always been there, simmering, waiting to boil over into _something_. But the pilot light is out now. Maybe in the future, they can consider revisiting this, once Corgi has gotten over his puppy crush and moved on to someone new.

For now, they’ll have to keep being just friends, the way they’ve always been.


	2. Two Years Later

Masaki sighs as he waxes his board. Not for the first time over the past two years, he wonders if he’s outgrown this one and should start looking for a new one. This one has served him so well, though, guiding him through his first competition with an ease he shouldn’t have had as a near-beginner— and besides, Sho helped him pick this one.

His eyes drift up to where Sho is standing across from him, doing the same thing. He looks just as beautiful as always, the sun gleaming off of his blond hair and lighting him up like an angel. Masaki watches with great appreciation as a bead of sweat rolls down his throat and disappears into the fabric of his wetsuit.

He’s suddenly very, very thirsty.

He snaps his gaze back to his board when Sho looks up at him. His face feels hot at being caught staring _yet again_ , but he also knows Sho won’t say anything about it. He never does. Masaki wants to sigh, but he holds it back; he may still be harboring the same crush he’s had for more than two years, but he’s not some harlequin romance protagonist. He’s not going to sigh and mope over his unrequited love.

Besides, he’s way too happy just being around Sho to let himself feel like that.

Ever since they started surfing together, Masaki has felt like the luckiest person in the world. He gets to be in the presence of greatness every single day, and somehow managed to convince the most beautiful man in the world to be one of his best friends. He supposes a lot of that is thanks to Murphy— without him, he might not have had the guts to ask Sho for help.

As soon as he has the thought, he can’t help but laugh at himself. _Of course_ he would have asked Sho for help eventually. He’s never been too afraid to do anything — at least, until now — but Murphy definitely helped speed up the process.

“What are you laughing about?” Sho asks, and Masaki feels his face warm again at the attention.

“Just remembering when we first started surfing together,” he answers truthfully. “Thinking I should thank Murphy next time I talk to him.” He pauses as he thinks about his friend. He misses him more than he expected he would. “Speaking of which, have you heard from him lately?”

“Mhm,” Sho hums in affirmation. “We talk on the phone a few times a week.”

“Oh?” Masaki stops what he’s doing to give Sho his full attention. Frankly, he’s kind of shocked to hear that. “That’s so often. We mostly text. I don’t think we’ve talked on the phone in… over a month,” he realizes.

Sho shrugs. “It’s what we’re used to. Before I moved here we talked just as much. We’ve always been close.”

“Mm.” That’s interesting. Masaki knew they were friends before Sho transferred to their high school, but he was under the impression it was just a casual friendship since Murphy never mentioned him.

“You ready?”

Sho is already finished and ready to go, so Masaki quickly finishes up and follows.

It’s been pretty easy between the two of them. They made fast friends back in high school, and after Murphy moved to Hawaii for university, they’ve been nearly inseparable. Still, Sho feels untouchable (in more ways than one), like there’s a barrier between them that Masaki can’t figure out how to break down.

Sometimes he thinks he sees Sho look at him differently — after pulling a particularly impressive trick, or when they’re floating together on the waves, just enjoying the water and sunshine — but normally he convinces himself he’s imagining it. There was a moment a year ago, after his first competition, when Sho had given him the most tender look, and Masaki had been so amped up on adrenaline he almost tried to kiss him. He didn’t, though, and since then, he’s wondered if maybe he should have. Maybe that was his chance, and now Sho isn’t interested anymore.

Sho runs out into the water first, but Masaki is close behind. Normally he likes being the first one out, but he doesn’t mind watching Sho. He _loves_ watching Sho, actually, and today he lets himself watch, because there’s no need to compete when it’s just the two of them.

Between the way Sho moves and the way the water sparkles around him, he really does look like an angel. It’s fitting, Masaki thinks. He can even fly.

Sometimes Masaki feels like Icarus, flying so close to the sun he’s going to get burned one of these days. But it’s that same heat that burns inside him and makes him push harder, want _more_ , shoot for the world stage. Maybe then, if he can win on the global stage, he’ll be able to break down that barrier. Maybe, if he can truly be Sho’s equal, maybe then he’ll take the chance.

Until then, he’ll keep his feelings inside and hope Sho doesn’t find someone else, first. For now, it’s Saturday, and Masaki has a date with the ocean.

Sho is going off with his suitor of the week later, and Masaki is doing his damned best not to think about it. He doesn’t know what happens on these dates, and he doesn’t want to. All he wants is to surf, and train, and know that whether or not anything happens, Sho will be here tomorrow and the next day beside him on the waves.

It’s Saturday, which means Murphy is getting home tomorrow, which means Masaki gets to surf with both of his best friends again for an entire summer.

Thank god for that. It’s been way too long.

____________________

Sho watches Nalu run across the beach toward him with someone like anticipation mixed with nostalgia. He’s missed — _god_ he’s _missed_ him — and seeing him again now is like coming up for air after too long underwater. He catches himself taking one step forward, and then another, until he’s meeting Nalu somewhere in the middle. He can’t help himself; he’s waited long enough.

He feels himself being lifted up in Nalu’s arms, which are now significantly stronger than they were before he left a year ago, and he lets himself laugh with all the joy he feels to see his friend again. As his feet touch back down on the sand, he pulls Nalu tighter, not ready to let go just yet. Nalu holds him close, too, and they stay that way for several long moments, in which Sho lets himself appreciate how good it feels to be pressed together like this.

He’s missed him _so much_.

“Hey there,” Nalu whispers against his jaw. “Good to see you, friend.”

It feels a little like too much, feeling Nalu’s lips against his skin, even if it’s not _like that_ , so he pulls back.

“You too,” he answers, and when he realizes the position they’re still in, shoots a glance over toward Masaki, who’s running back in from the water. “Masaki will be happy to see you, too.”

Nalu tips his to the side and hesitates briefly before asking, “How’s that going?”

There’s not enough time to get into all of _that_ now, so Sho gives him the short but true answer: “I’m not really thinking about any of that right now.” Nalu frowns, but it disappears when Masaki gets close enough for greetings.

“Murphy!” Masaki cries, drawing out the syllables of his name as he bounces across the sand toward them. “You’re so tan!”

It’s true; Nalu has always been tan, but he’s even darker now after a year under the Hawaiian sun. It makes him look even more beautiful than he’s always been, his light eyes practically glowing in contrast to his sun-kissed skin. He’s gorgeous.

Sho steps back to avoid getting knocked over by the force of Masaki’s tackle hug. They’re both laughing, and they’re both glowing. That’s something Sho has come to appreciate about both Nalu and Masaki— they both have undeniable charisma and charm, but in very different ways.

Sho averts his eyes to stop himself from thinking too much about it. Yes, things have changed a little in the year since Nalu left, but not so much that he’s ready to do anything about it. Masaki is a nice guy, and Sho would be lying if he said he wasn’t endeared to Masaki, at least a little bit. He’s sweet and bold and energetic, and under any other circumstance, Sho would have responded to his obvious feelings a long time ago.

But this isn’t any other circumstance. This is reality, and the reality is that Sho isn’t ready to jump into a relationship with someone, and with Masaki, that’s what it would have to be right away.

The three of them have plans for lunch later to day, but since Nalu is here early, there’s plenty of time before then to surf and get back into each other’s rhythm. Nalo is going to be floored to see how much Masaki has improved— Sho is so proud of him, and he’s excited to see Nalu’s face when Masaki pulls some ridiculous trick that he shouldn’t be able to yet.

Sure enough, Masak has Nalu by the wrist the second they’re done reuniting, and before either of them knows it, they’re watching him skate across the waves like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

He really does have a gift, and someday he’s going to change the surfing world with it.

Everyone will see it soon, though; there’s a big competition coming up in about a month, and Masaki has a good chance of taking first place— if he can beat Sho and Nalu, that is.

Time to get to work.


	3. Nalu's Return

It doesn’t take anything to fall back into a comfortable rhythm with Corgi and Sho. The past year has been amazing — more than Nalu could ask for — and he’s learned so much, but there’s nothing like being home with his two best friends in the world.

Even after all the time he’s spent out on the ocean in Hawaii, it’s still a breath of fresh air to be back on his home surf, in the familiar waves he grew up with, with the two best friends he’s ever had.

It’s been over two years since this little trio formed, and they’re all closer than ever. It stings a little bit even still, watching Corgi and Sho together and seeing the way Sho looks at Corgi change and evolve over time. Especially now, after a year away, he can see a marked difference in their relationship. Sho may not realize it yet, but he’s falling for Corgi in a very real way. Nalu should know; he knows what Sho looks like when he’s in love.

He shakes himself out of those thoughts. There’s a competition starting soon, and though he’s not really _aiming_ to win, he still intends to give it his best shot. It’s what the sea deserves.

The crowd gathers as the event host takes his position on the stage.

“Welcome, competitors, family, and friends! It’s a beautiful day to surf!”

The crowd cheers. The atmosphere is giddy and excited; Nalu can feel it zipping through the crowd, bouncing from person to person as they hype each other up.

“I’m your host, Souichirou Mori. But you can call me Bill.” He shoots the crowd a wink, displayed in real time on the large television screen behind him. Nalu recognizes him from last year, but this year, he’s…

He’s absolutely stunning.

Nalu has never seen a person quit like him before. At first glance he looks sort of edgy, but when he speaks, he comes off much more gentle and charismatic. And he’s so _pretty_. The wing-tipped eyeliner is really working for him. He doesn’t seem to have changed a whole lot in the past year, from what Nalu can tell, aside from being another year older and with slightly longer hair, but he’s enchanting.

The screen changes to show a tournament-style bracket with the competitors’ names listed. He scans the list to see who he’s up against first, and realizes—

“Oh man! The only time I get to surf against Sho is in the final!” Corgi cries in distress beside him. Nalu can’t help but laugh.

“Looks like you’ll have to get through me, first,” he teases. Corgi’s skill is _insane_ , now, so there’s a good chance he’ll win if they face off in the semi-final. He had almost beaten Nalu last year, and he might have if they hadn’t waited so long for the perfect wave. His skills have definitely improved since then, but so has his performance under pressure. He’s going to give everyone in this competition a run for their money.

Corgi grins, sharp and determined. “I won’t lose this time. Next year, I’ll be surfing for the Japanese national team. This is the next step for me.” There’s a glint in his eyes that make Nalu believe him, trust him to do exactly what he says he’s going to do. On Corgi’s other side, Sho is watching him, too. He’s looking at him with pride and a softness that he doesn’t show for anyone else.

“We’ll be there together,” Sho says. “No matter what happens today, we’re both going next year.”

Nalu smiles. He doesn’t have the same aspirations. He surfs for himself, and for the ocean, and for his friends, but not for glory or fame or money. But he’s so proud of his friends, and he wants that for them so badly. He wants them to achieve all of their dreams, and he wants them to do that together.

It’s time to let go of what could have been. For real this time.

Bill is giving everyone an overview of the competition and rules. It’s the same setup as last year, so Nalu is able to take this time to center himself before his first heat. He remembers his opponent from last year; he’s good, but Nalu can beat him. He’s not worried.

The competition starts off with the bang. The first heat is between two new competitors, and they both give impressive performances just shy of seven points. It’s tight, but in the end there’s a clear winner. The loser seems to be a pretty good-natured kid, going back to what appears to be his family, receiving pats on the back and mussed hair for his troubles. He looks pretty happy, and he should be— he did a good job.

Both Sho and Corgi beat their competition handily in their first rounds, which is to be expected.

Nalu is up next. He spots his competitor talking with Bill before he steps out toward the ocean and watches the waves. He remembers the redhead from last year but never got his name, so he glances back up at the scoreboard: Rindo Fuke. Nalu tries to remember if he competed last year and comes up short. But Fuke had definitely _been_ there, so why hadn’t he competed? Maybe he’s new?

He takes his place on the shore and waits for the call. The timer counts them down, and when the signal sounds, they both take off at the same time. Fuke is _fast_ — if he _is_ a beginner, he’s prodigy-level like Corgi.

Fuke gets priority. He takes the first wave that shows up. Nalu gasps— it’s not a good wave. He’s basically throwing away the competition. Nalu doesn’t care much for competition, but he believes in giving everything his best effort, and he definitely doesn’t want to win against a guy who isn’t taking this seriously.

He eats his own words as soon as he sees Fuke surf.

The board appears to be an extension of himself. He can make it move in ways that shouldn’t be physically possible, and yet— Fuke commands the waves, bends them to his will, and it’s shocking to watch. It makes fire erupt in Nalu. He was wrong, _so_ wrong, and now he’s going to do anything he can to win.

Fuke floats to shore after a powerful performance, but rather than shaking Nalu’s nerves, he’s only ignited his determined spirit.

Nalu knows how to wait for his wave, so that’s what he does. Luckily, unlike last year, he doesn’t have to wait until the last second to get his. He only lets two waves pass before he finds the one he wants. It’s perfect. It’s the biggest wave they’ve gotten all day, and if he plays this right, he can beat Fuke.

He lets the wave carry him up and starts paddling, waiting for that perfect moment of lift. When he finds it, he knows he’s won this. He lets the wave move him— it’s the opposite of how Fuke operates, and that’s how he knows he’s got this. Before it breaks and carries him to shore, he lets himself show off a little with a big-air move that puts his athleticism on show. The second he lands it, he feels the win in his veins.

The announcer confirms when he reaches the shore: 8.8, edging out Fuke’s 8.6.

He lets himself be hugged by Sho, Corgi, and Shoko, who isn’t competing today but came out to cheer them all on. In the middle of the excitement, he spots Bill over Sho’s shoulder ribbing Fuke and seemingly teasing him. Bill’s gaze flashes up to meet Nalu’s, and Nalu startles.

“You okay?” Sho asks, pulling away.

“Yeah,” Nalu says. “Yeah, just some leftover adrenaline! You know how it is.” He looks around at all of his friends and grins. Corgi is up next again, this time against a girl Nalu has seen at several competitions but never gotten a chance to speak to. In his opinion, she’s Corgi’s biggest competition aside from himself and Sho, but she’s frequently underrated, and that’s exactly why she’s so dangerous.

“You’re up,” Nalu tells him. “Go out there and get it done, but don’t be reckless, and don’t underestimate your competition.” Corgi looks like he’s going to say something cocky in return, but he closes his mouth and nods instead, serious and ready to compete.

Corgi gets priority for his next round, but Nalu and Sho both cringe when he pulls off a mostly predictable move. It’s done well, but he’s done it before.

“He’s underestimating her,” Sho acknowledges. “Just like you told him not to.”

Nalu sighs. “He knows he’s good, and that’s his problem. We’ll see what happens.”

It’s by the skin of his teeth when Corgi is announced the winner, and the only reason he wins is because his competitor picked the wrong wave and wiped out doing a move that required more air than she was able to get. It looks like Corgi knows it when he shows back up, because his face is redder than usual, giving away his embarrassment.

“You were right,” he says to Nalu. “I didn’t give her enough credit.” He glances at show before looking back over at Nalu. “I won’t make that mistake again. It’s a rookie one, and I’m no rookie.”

“You aren’t,” Sho interjects. He lays a hand on Corgi’s shoulder and lets its slide gently onto his back when Corgi moves closer into the touch. “You can beat anyone. Just don’t get in your own way.”

It’s so tender, it’s almost physically painful to watch. Nalu lets himself feel it. He lets it wash over him, lets it sting, and then he accepts it.

It feels so freeing.

He feels himself letting go. He feels it flow out of him and into the wind.

It’s a start.

Iwana takes the next match, but is knocked out by Kido in the next one. Then comes Sho in a decisive victory over his second-to-last competitor. It’s not long before Nalu is up again, this time against Matsukaze. Matsukaze performed superbly in his last performance, using his understanding of the physics and probabilities to pick the perfect wave and execute like a professional. Nalu isn’t worried, though; that’s a neat skill, but the ocean doesn’t always operate according to plan.

Nalu has priority this time, so after his run he’s content to sit and watch. Matsukaze must have other plans, though, because he delivers a fast and calculated performance, leaving them both with enough time to catch another wave. Nalu knows he has to take advantage of the chance, because right now he’s not sure whose run pulled more points. He waits for a great wave and finds a good one— but the clock is running out, so he’ll have to take it.

Back on the shore, he hears Sho and Corgi screaming for him, cheering him on. He closes his eyes and calms himself. The sea rocks beneath him, and he waits until he feels himself connect with it.

_There_.

He stands and takes advantage of an irregularity in the movement— that’s his best chance. It’s a risk, but if he does it right, it’ll pay off.

The wave carries him back to shore. Nalu blocks out everything, including the announcement of his own score, and watches Matsukaze. If he wins this, he’ll be up against Corgi again. He can’t afford to lose.

Matsukaze’s performance is par for the course for him, which means he’s excellent. It also means he’s predictable. And though that’s largely his M.O., it’s been his downfall in competitions in the past, and that doesn’t seem to be any different today.

Thanks to the rotation, Nalu is up again immediately in the semi-final against Corgi. Nalu seeks him out and claps him on the back, grinning at the put-upon face he makes at the force of it.

“Good luck out there today,” he says. “Sure you’ve got what it takes to go up against Sho?”

Corgi’s eyes flash with fiery resolve. “I know I do.” He takes Nalu’s hand and pulls him in for a hug. “Do your best out there. Don’t let me win.”

“Never,” Nalu vows. “Now let’s go out there and do this.”

It’s not a repeat of last year, but there’s some poetic justice in the fact that Nalu is the one who wipes out on an overly-aggressive move this year. It’s like slow motion as he feels his board fly out from under him, and before he sinks below the water, he catches Corgi’s silhouette, backed by the setting sun, high above the waves in his periphery. He smiles to himself and just lets his body sink for a few quiet moments.

He did it. Corgi won, fair and square, and now he’s going up against Sho for the gold.

When he pops back above the water, he pushes his long hair back from his face and simply floats on the waves for as long as he feels he can get away with it. It feels so nice out here, existing on the water and feeling the sun beat down on his already-warm skin. It’s almost a relief to be with the competition; now he can sit back and cheer on his friends.

He accepts the consolatory pats and “good jobs” from his family and Sho, then makes his way to where Shoko is sitting and plops down in the sand beside her.

“Not your best performance,” she teases, never one to let a moment pass. “I hope you didn’t let him win.”

She’s joking, and he knows it, but he still feels the need to defend his friend. “Not at all. Corgi won that one all on his own.” He watches Corgi and Sho interact now, right before their big face-off, and notes how markedly different their relationship has become. “I knew I’d need something really big to beat Corgi. He’s been determined to compete against Sho for a long time. He was always going to beat me eventually.”

Beside him, Shoko hums a noncommittal sound. “Always?”

“Sure.” He shrugs. “I gave it my best, but Corgi gives it his everything. One hundred percent of the time.”

“Sometimes I wonder if you’re a little _too_ happy-go-lucky,” Shoko comments. She hands him his ukulele, which she’s been holding onto since before the competition started. He takes it from and strums idly at it, letting the soothing sounds bring him down from the excitement of the competition. “You could have won, you know.”

Nalu catches her gaze from the corner of his eye. “Maybe. But I made a decision, and it didn’t work out.”

“You wouldn’t have done anything differently, if you could?”

He shakes his head. “You know I’m not that big on competition,” he sings in tune with his strumming.

There’s silence between them as Shoko refrains from commenting. It’s not until they’re watching Corgi and Sho go head-to-head that she decides to speak again.

Sho moves like he’s made of water. It’s one of the many things that has always drawn Nalu to him. He watches Sho glide across the surface of the ocean and cut back seamlessly. He simply goes where he wants to go. That’s it. If he can dream it, he can do it.

“You could have won,” Shoko repeats, quieter this time. “If you had chosen to compete.”

Nalu gets the feeling they aren’t talking about surfing anymore.

“I had my chance,” he answers. “And I didn’t make the most of it. That’s nobody’s fault by my own.”

“It may not be his fault,” Shoko argues, “but that doesn’t mean you have to stop trying.”

The music flowing from his fingers turns choppy with frustration he doesn’t want to feel. “I made my choice and I’m happy with it.”

“Then why haven’t you moved on? I’ve seen the way you still look at him.”

“I’m doing my best,” he says. His eyes inadvertently seek out a familiar face in the crowd, and he stops when he finds who he’s looking for. Even after a long, hot day, Bill is a vision. He’s captivating in the same kind of way that Sho is, but different from Sho in so many ways.

Shoko turns to see where he’s looking, and Nalu isn’t quite fast enough to look away before she spots the object of his staring.

“Isn’t that the competition coordinator?”

Nalu nods. “He’s our age, though.”

“Hmm.” Shoko elbows him, knocking his arm in such a way that turns his next strum sour. He cringes and elbows her back. Through her laughter, she says, “You should get his number.”

Nalu can’t help but laugh back. “I don’t even know him.”

“Maybe not,” she concedes, but he’s been watching you all day.” At Nalu’s obvious interest in this fact, she nods in Bill’s direction. “Like right now, for instance.”

The competition is still going on. There’s just under a minute left on the clock. But after, maybe… If Bill is still hanging around…

Corgi takes a massive spill as Nalu is pondering what to do, and he feels a pang of regret for him. That’s a bad mistake in the final. He knows from the angle of the fall that Corgi likely isn’t hurt, but he probably has a severely bruised ego now. There’s still time, though, if he can find another wave and make one last run.

Corgi must be thinking the same thing, because he pops up from the water as quickly as possible and moves back tot he starting block. Sho pulls off a last nearly-flawless run, and then Corgi is up again.

To the shock of Nalu, Shoko, and the judges, Corgi attempts the exact same trick— this time, only bigger. Even Sho is frozen on the water, watching. It feels like an eternity before Corgi lands again, and though he wobbles for a split second, he’s able to right himself and ride the wave all the way home. He’s cheering, fists in the air, as the wave deposits him on shore and he rushes to hug his little sister first. Whether he wins or not, that move is a victory all on its own.

Time runs out, and Sho makes his way back to shore. He bee-lines straight for Corgi and pulls him into a full-bodied hug. Nalu can’t hear them from here, but he can see Sho’s lips movie and the way Corgi’s ears turn bright red. He looks so pleased, it’s actually kind of adorable. When they pull apart, Sho says something else and pulls him right back in with a clap on the back.

Corgi is so obviously love-struck. His smile is goofy and besotted, even as his mother, his sister, Nalu, and Shoko crowd around to congratulate him.

In the end, Sho still takes the victory, but Corgi doesn’t seem upset. He’s proud of himself, as he should be, and it’s clear that even if he wasn’t, Sho is proud enough for the both of them.

Nalu takes a few minutes to himself after all the excitement dies down, and after seeing Shoko off, he takes a deep breath and looks around.

Bill is standing with Nalu’s previous competitor, Fuke, and it takes a minute for Nalu to understand what he’s looking at: Fuke is clearly flirting with him, but Nalu can’t make sense of Bill’s response. He’s not exactly reciprocating, but he’s not moving away, either. He pauses when he makes eye contact with Nalu again, then puts a hand against Fuke’s chest and gently pushes him away. Fuke stops in the middle of whatever he was saying and follows Bill’s line of sight. Nalu is powerless to look away from Bill’s piercing gaze, enchanting even from so far away, but he can see the way Fuke’s expression morphs into a cheshire grin. Fuke whispers one last thing in Bill’s ear and then saunters away.

He’s walking before he even realizes what he’s doing. Bill meets him partway, but for the most part lets Nalu come to him.

“Good work out there today,” Bill says, holding out his hand. “Bill.”

Nalu takes his hand. “Nalu.” Bill has a firm grip, which catches Nalu by surprise. “And thank you.”

“My pleasure. You looked good out there.”

Is he flirting? One corner of his mouth is turned up in a smile, and he rakes his eyes down Nalu’s bare chest and back up again. Okay, yes. Definitely flirting.

Nalu doesn’t know how to flirt.

“Glad you think so.”

Bill grins and drops their handshake. “So I understand you’ve been living in Hawaii for the last year?”

“I have. Went there for an exchange program.”

“So is it a permanent move, then?”

Nalu shakes his head. “It was just for the year. I could probably stay in school there full time, but I think I’d like to come home.”

The next part, Bill says in English. “What are the boys like there?”

Breathless, but without missing a beat, Nalu answers, “Nothing at all like the boys here.”

It’s the right answer, apparently, because Bill pulls a pen from his pocket and takes Nalu’s hand, palm facing up. “I expect you to use this,” he says. “It won’t do you any good for competitions, but it may do you some good in other avenues of your life.” When Nalu takes his hand back, he sees a phone number scrawled in large print across his palm. He looks up at Bill, and Bill winks. Then he walks away.

Nalu’s pulse races as he looks back down at the numbers on his hand. Did that really happen? He looks back up again, seeking out Bill’s eye-catching presence, but doesn’t find him. Still, the numbers are right there in black ink.

“What’s that?”

Nalu startles— he hadn’t even seen Sho and Corgi approach. Rather than answering, he congratulates them both again.

He doesn’t have his phone on him, but he can’t surf again until he can store this number. So when Corgi asks him if he’s going to stick around, his only answer has to be no.

“You guys go ahead,” he says. “I need to take care of something.”

“Cryptic,” Sho teases. Then, to Corgi, “Why don’t we go grab some food, instead? We can take a bath and get some ramen.”

“Ahh, but I have so much energy!”

“Let it out in the bath,” Sho says. “You did really well out there today, so don’t overdo it. Give your body a break.”

Corgi nods, that besotted expression back on his face. Nalu breathes a sigh of relief as they make their way to the bath house together. His phone is in his bag there anyway, so he agrees to the plan as well.

“I thought you had something to take care of?” Corgi asks.

“It’s fine,” he answers. “I’m hungry anyway.”

The three gently rib each other all the way there, and when Sho and Corgi’s backs are turned, he fishes out his phone and enters the new contact. He shoots off a quick text before joining them in the bath — “Hi Bill, it’s Nalu. Thought it was only fair that you should have my number, too.” — and receives a message back before he’s even able to put his clothes away.

“Looking forward to talking with you. ;)”


End file.
